From October 24 to 31, in Rezekne, at the Embassy of Latgale GORS, a place will take the first festival of the organ music – ORGANisms. The artistic leader of the festival will be the organist Iveta Apkalna. The theme of the first festival is dedicated to a new beginning and symbolic creation of the world.
Similar to the organisms, the organ is a complicated creation, characterized by the exchange of the substance and energy. Playing with the words, organ (organ in Greek) and organisms, the director of the festival Iveta Apkalna has intended to reveal the undetected opportunities of the organ play, as well as other arts, centuries and styles.
The main incentive for the foundation of the festival is the purchase of digital organ Johannus Ecclesia in 2014. This concert instrument is located in the Embassy of Latgale GORS, this way opening many opportunities – not only performances of different genres and composed groups of performers, but also new experiments, collaboration forms and sounds. Iveta Apkalna reveals: “During the first organ music festival ORGANisms we will discover the world. The world described by Johann Sebastian Back, the world revealed at the childhood poetry by Rainis. We will be witnessing the creation process and birth of a new festival. Three festival concerts will demonstrate traditional genres and formations – organ solo, organ and orchestra, as well as some untraditional creations – organ and dance improvisation concert performance, theatrical Rainis’ poetry reading by accompaniment of singing Rezekne children, organ and percussion.”
Festival is organized by the Embassy of Latgale GORS, supported by Rezekne City Council, State Cultural Foundation and Joint Stock Company “Latvia’s State Forests”. The organizers hope that with the purchase of Johannus Ecclesia and the new music festival, Rezekne and the Embassy of Latgale GORS will be marked and recognized in the world map of the organ music.
October 24 at 19.00. BACH. HINDEMITH. APKALNA
The first concert of the music festival will be opened with the performance of the organist Iveta Apkalna and chamber orchestra „Sinfonietta Rīga” under the lead of conductor Normunds Šnē. The first part of the concert will reveal the solo play performed by I. Apkalna, however, the second part – the collaboration between concert organist and chamber orchestra. Concert program: J. S. Bach and P. Hindemith.
October 27 at 19.00. DANCE. SHADOWS. IMPROVISATION
During the second concert of the festival, the world will be created in seven episodes by the organist Ansgar Wallenhorst (Germany) and the contemporary dance company of Lilija Lipora. Concert performance is generated by the choreographer Lilija Lipora, light designer Egils Kupčs, in a collaboration with the improvisations created during the exact event by Ansgar Wallenhorst.
October 31 at 16.00. SUN. CHILDREN. RAINIS
Musical reading of Rainis’ poetry from the collection of poems “Saules gadi” (Years of the Sun), performed and singed by the children choir of J. Ivanovs Rezekne Music Secondary School, students of the drums study course and organist Iveta Apkalna. Concert production team: Director – Māra Zaļaiskalns, set and costumes by Ināra Apele, Conductor – Anda Lipska.
